Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Liturgy: The Traditional Ordinary Form

I am going to start a series on how I believe the current Ordinary Form of the Mass could (and should) be celebrated in a way that reinforces and emphasizes the centuries-old traditions of the Roman Rite. I will deal with issues such as Latin, chant, and the orientation of the priest; I will consider the coming new English translation of the Sacramentary; I will examine the various "readings" (i.e. options) of the Mass. I will work through the liturgy in order. I will give my opinions, but also support my preferences with sources such as Church documents and books on the liturgy.

I've been reading a couple books about the liturgy (and its post-conciliar reform):

The Spirit of the Liturgy (Romano Guardini)

The Spirit of the Liturgy (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger)

Reform of the Reform? (Fr. Thomas Kocik)

The Reform of the Roman Liturgy (Msgr. Klaus Gamber)

I am feeling the gravitational pull (as Fr. Z calls it) of the Extraordinary Form, and of Latin in general. When I pray Lauds and Vespers, I say some of it in Latin (although I have not yet taken the effort to pray the Benedicat nor the Magnificat in Latin yet); when I pray Compline, I say it entirely in Latin. I've downloaded or purchased a lot of Latin hymns and chants, and I listen to them quite often. I have developed a particular piety of posture and disposition at Mass. I eagerly await the new English translation of the Order of Mass. I am also leaning towards the "reform of the reform" mentality... or, at the very least, adherence to a more traditional celebration of the Ordinary Form (with Latin, Gregorian Chant, ad orientem, etc.).

This series probably won't start until 2008... at the very least, I want to get another part of the Excerpti on the Most Blessed Sacrament out before I start this series.